Eighth annual report for the period ending 24 November 2002 EL 8134 Kilgour Gorge

Abstract

EL 8134, located 125km SSW of Borroloola township and 10km west of the old Kiana Station homestead, was acquired by Rio Tinto Exploration Pty Limited via the Rio Tinto Limited takeover of Ashton in late 2000. EL 8134 is located on a poorly drained, flat, sand-covered plateau. The plateau consists of Cambrian Georgina Basin sediments gently folded into a broad syncline. Developed within the Cambrian weathering surface are numerous, small karstic cavities in-filled by Cretaceous Dunmarra Basin sediments. During the 2000-2001 reporting period the Ashton diamond exploration data was assimilated with RTE's own data and all available data reviewed. The previous diamond exploration by Ashton identified a substantial number of kimberlite indicator minerals forming a coherent 3km diameter anomaly within the tenement. Ashton tested various geophysical (mostly EM) targets within the tenement for kimberlite diatremes with RAB or RC drilling without success. A number of targets remain untested. The work by RTE indicated that the geology of the EL is prospective for Phanerozoic-age kimberlite diatremes. Further work has been recommended following an environmental audit of the tenement.